Piano-playing attachment.



J. 2a. SHGEMKER. i PIANO PLAYING ATTAGHMENT. APPLICATION ILED FEB. 15, 1906.v RENBWED MAB. l, 1908.

[NIVEA/TOR trict of Columbia, have inventedy a new and .avatar-.ste

UNIT-ED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

yPmlto-ium'szrrrd ATTACHMENT.

Application filed February 15,

To all who-m. 'it may concern:- Beit known that I, JOHN- MAKER, residing at Washington, in the Disuseful Piano-Playing Attachment, of which the" following isa s eciiication.

-Mylinvention re ates to automatic piano.

n plzying attachments. t

. ereinafter set-forth. The easin its sides and ,forms the exhaust c .lis

4struction of the larger scale. Fig.

I-.of a valve plateand va 'form ofroc and.' rovided with suitable valves, 35'- connecte'df'theeto by links 0.,. b.

has for its object to-simpliy the conoperating mechanism, adapted for use in either an exterior piano playing attachment, or for attachments constructed within the casing of the piano.

ivf-Another object of the invention'ls to so con- .struct'the operating mechanism that it mayA beeasily taken apartfor adjustment, repairs and for the replacement of parts.-

- Referringto the drawings: Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a piano playing attachment embodying m invention. Fig. 2 is'a front elevation of t e casing containing the exhaust chamber', the primary pneumatics and the valve operating mechanism, parts being broken away to show the interior construction. Fig.4 3 is a. cross sectional view on line 3-3 ofFig:'2 0I1 a somewhat 4 is perspective view of and v ves-for the exhaust Fig; 5 is a perspective view ves showing another the valve plate and inlet ports.

er member. Iln the drawings, bellows L which may A represents the exhaust be of. any preferred form A and B the p'qda vfor operating the .exhaust bellows, 2 4indicates a casing comprising the pieces and front board or cover 3, which is removable or. hinged at its lower edge to permit access to the interior 'of the casing,as is closed at amber for the mechanism so as to o pneumatics C The cover 1s loekedp'in posi- ,tion byscrews or other'means.

l4 indicates the valve boxes which are ar ranged lin tiers as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.' These valveV -boxes extend through the rear side 2" of the exhaust chamber' casing in order that the `exhaust valve 6, mounted directly above the primary v lsupported in: longitudinally arranged bars extending from endto end The primary vpneumatics" are connected with the' flexible:tubesdt by' ducts suitably Specification lof Letters` Patent. 1906, Serial No. 301,196. Renewed March 14 1.908. Serial Ifo. 431,036.'

EUGENE Suon-A be taken out and returned perate the power vwithin the casing( Patented-.oca sat1.. soa,

arranged in the bars 4 The rubber tubes d extend upward through the exhaust chamber, and through apertures cut in theA top of the casing, to the tracker board.

By this construction it will be seen that all of the parts are compactly arran ed the same time are in such positie may be easily reached for repairs Mounted -Withi'n the valve box :a

right members 9, 9, to which are fulcru ay 'rocker member 8. To one end ofthe rccker member is secured the exhaust valve whichv 1s operated bythe prlmarypneum'atic valveA 5 to control the exhaust port 64. vOn the epposite end of the rocker inember'is secured a valve 7 arranged to open and close a. port 7 f leading to the atmosphere. v

The valve boxes 4 are connected by a passage way'or duct 1:1 with the ower pneumatics Cwhereb power is app ied to some v operating part o the piano Jfor operating the i hammers thereof.

To permit access to' the valves arranged within the valvebox, one

side thereof, pref erably the front side, is made removable.

The removable member cons-,ists of strips orf pieces 12, which extend lon itudinally of' the casing. These stri sv or c osing pieces are held in position by t e screws 12.

13 indicates a plate on Whi h the upright members 9, 9, carrying therocker member 8 and valves 6 and 7, are mounted. This `plate is provided with valve seats 6,'7 corre` sponding with the exhaust port 6 and inlet port 7. guide-ways 1 3', 13 being provided Ain the sides of the valve box 4 so that the plate' may to proper position. In order to assist in the operation of the rocker member, I provide a spring 8. between 'one arm thereof and the plate, as shown in Fig. 4. y l In the form of the invention shown in Fig. .5, the rocker member 14 consistsof a metal rod bent at right angles at its opposite ends on which the valves 15, 16 are 1nounted.

The ends of the rod' are provided with screwthreads 15 ada ted to engage screw-threads in the valves wiiereby'the latter may be adjusted relative to their seats. By making the rocker member of metal, the ends may be readily bent so as to cause the valves to rest properly von their seats if they get out of alinement., In 'this form of the invention I prefer to make one ofthe valves heavierthan the other to assist in he operation thereof.

yes

The plate 13 is made removable', f'

its

t As shown in the drawings, the several parts of the pneumatic operating mechanism' are all arranged within a single casing, 4whie winch the casing is formedA with a chamber in air 1s exhausted to operate the pneumatics.

The casing may' be -of any size orshape to adapt it for use in lan interiqr piano player,

-or it vmay be constructed within an exterior 'piano playing attachment.

What l claim is; l

1. ln a playing attachment,the combination VWith-the` tracker board, of an exhaust chamber, theprimary pneumatics vmo tedwithin the exhaust chamber, a series of valve boxes mounted within the said exhaust chamber, .a series, of power pneumatics, and connections leading from the said primary'pneuf matics to the tracker board.

matics with the vtracker boar v 3. In a playing attachment, the combina-- 30 tion with the tracker board, of an exhaust chamber having a removable cover., bars extending longitudinally from end to end' Vwithin the said'exhaust chamber., the pri-l mary pneumatics mounted in said bars, conduits arrangedto connetthe (primary neu-f valve oxes mounted within the said exhaust chamber, the power pneumatics, and connectionsl between the valve lboxes and the powerfpneumatics, substantially as set forth.

' 4. In a Self playing attachment, the com bination of an exhaust-chamber, a rimary neumatic mounted withinthe sai chamer, a power pneumatic, 'a valve box, one end thereof extending linto the exhaust chamber and provided lwith an exhaust valve, and the opposite end leading to the power pneumatic, an inlet valve adapted to communicate with vthe atmosphere, and: a

rocker connectingtogether the said. exhaust and inlet valves, substantially as set forth. 5. ln a self playing attachment, the com- \h1nat1on of an .exhaust chamber, a primary ,a power pneumatic, a valve box, one end chamber and7 the opposite end connected with the power pneumatic, an Vexhaust valve and 'an inlet valve mounted Within zontal plane; a rocking member connecting the said valves together, and a plate rovided with -valve seats and arrange to pivotally support the rocking member. substantially as set forth.

lhaustf cha1 nber, a primary pneumatic mounted therein, a power pneumatic,avalve box, one end 4of which extends within the said exhaust chamber and provided with an exhaust valve arranged vertically relative to said primary pneumatic, and the opposite end connected with the power pneumatic, and

being provided with an inlet valve, the said" exhaust and' inlet valves bein varranged in theysame horizontal plane, 'angl a tube leading-from said primary pneumatic-through the exhaust chamber to the tracker board, substantially as set forth.

' 7'. `In a playing attachment, the combination of a casing provided with a cover, a. primary pneumatic mounted therein, a

valve box. havingcne end extendingintov vsaid casing and 'provided with an exhaust` valve, a power `pneumatic l.connected with the opposite end of thev .valve box, an inlet rvalve for admitting atmosphere inl said y'valve box, aremovable.- strip for the end of the valve box thatfextends into the casing, yarranged directly behind the` cover 'thereo and means for exhausting thev air in the said casing, substantially `as set forth.

JOHN EUGENE SHOEMAKER.

Witnesses E. B. RATCLIFFE',

GEO. B. Prrrs.

pneumatic'mounted inside of said chamber, l

I thereof f extending into the said exhaust the valve box *and arranged in the same` hori-4 6. Inl a self playing attachment, the combination with the tracker board, of an ex, 

